Uplink hybrid acknowledgement signaling in wireless communications systems

ABSTRACT

A method and a wireless network determining at least part of a PUCCH resource index n PUCCH   (1)  (PUCCH format 1a/1b) associated with an ePDCCH PRB set. The PUCCH resource index n PUCCH   (1)  is determined depending on whether a localized or distributed ePDCCH is used.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/666,582, filed Jun. 29, 2012, entitled “UPLINKHYBRID ACKNOWLEDGEMENT SIGNALING IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS”,U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/678,967, filed Aug. 2,2012, entitled “UPLINK HYBRID ACKNOWLEDGEMENT SIGNALING IN WIRELESSCOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.61/721,356, filed Nov. 1, 2012, entitled “UPLINK HYBRID ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSIGNALING IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS”. The content of theabove-identified patent documents is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates generally to wireless networks, and morespecifically to a wireless network and method determining at least partof a PUCCH resource index.

BACKGROUND

The following documents and standards descriptions are herebyincorporated into the present disclosure as if fully set forth herein:

REF1—3GPP TS 36.211 v10.1.0, “E-UTRA, Physical channels and modulation.”

REF2—3GPP TS 36.212 v10.1.0, “E-UTRA, Multiplexing and Channel coding.”

REF3—3GPP TS 36.213 v10.1.0, “E-UTRA, Physical Layer Procedure.”

In 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) (3GPP LTE Rel-10), the physical uplinkcontrol channel, PUCCH, carries uplink control information. Simultaneoustransmission of PUCCH and PUSCH from the same UE is supported if enabledby higher layers. For frame structure type 2, the PUCCH is nottransmitted in the UpPTS field.

SUMMARY

A method and system for use in a wireless network determining at leastpart of a PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) ¹ (PUCCH format 1a/1b),wherein:

a subscriber station receives a DL assignment from at least one basestation;

the subscriber station determines a PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH)(PUCCH format 1a/1b), wherein:

when PDCCH comprising a number of CCEs carries the DL assignment, thesubscriber station derives the PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) accordingto the equation:

n _(PUCCH) =n _(CCE) +N;

wherein n_(CCE) is the smallest CCE index of the number of CCEs,N=N_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ is cell-specifically higher-layer configured;

when ePDCCH comprising a number of eCCEs carries the DL assignment:

when the ePDCCH is localized, the subscriber station derives the PUCCHresource index n_(PUCCH) according to the equation:

n _(PUCCH) =n _(eCCE) +N′+Y+Δ; and

when the ePDCCH is distributed, the subscriber station derives the PUCCHresource index n_(PUCCH) according to the equation:

n _(PUCCH) =n _(eCCE) +N′+Y;

wherein n_(eCCE) is the smallest eCCE index of the number of eCCEs,N′=N_(PUCCH-UE-ePDCCH) ⁽¹⁾ is subscriber station-specificallyhigher-layer configured, Δ is a function of RNTI, and Y is determined bya 2-bit field in the DL assignment; and

transmitting HARQ-ACK information for a PDSCH scheduled by the DLassignment to the at least one base station on PUCCH resource n_(PUCCH).

Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION below, it may beadvantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases usedthroughout this patent document: the terms “include” and “comprise,” aswell as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term“or,” is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases “associated with” and“associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean toinclude, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be containedwithin, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with,cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to orwith, have, have a property of, or the like; and the term “controller”means any device, system or part thereof that controls at least oneoperation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware orsoftware, or some combination of at least two of the same. It should benoted that the functionality associated with any particular controllermay be centralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely.Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout thispatent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understandthat in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, aswell as future uses of such defined words and phrases.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and itsadvantages, reference is now made to the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like referencenumerals represent like parts:

FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless network that determines at least part of aPUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ (PUCCH format 1a/1b) according to theprinciples of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram of a base station in communication with aplurality of mobile stations;

FIG. 3 illustrates a 4×4 multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) system;

FIG. 4 illustrates mapping of modulation symbols for the physical uplinkcontrol channel;

FIG. 5 illustrates a homogeneous network with intra-site CoMP;

FIG. 6 illustrates a homogeneous network with high Tx power RRHs;

FIG. 7 illustrates a network with low power RRHs within the macrocellcoverage;

FIG. 8 illustrates an example for a Partitioning of Resources for ULCoMP;

FIG. 9 is an example of the decision of the leading eCCE and the DMRSport for localized ePDCCH transmissions according to some embodiments inthe current invention;

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of DMRS port linkage;

FIG. 11 illustrates scheduling restrictions when the two PUCCH regionsoverlap;

FIG. 12 illustrates PUCCH D-ACK region implicitly mapped by ePDCCH CCEs(or eCCEs) changes depending on the values of CFI; and

FIG. 13 illustrates exemplary allocation of PDCCH candidates to CCEs forrespective ALs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 through 13, discussed below, and the various embodiments used todescribe the principles of the present disclosure in this patentdocument are by way of illustration only and should not be construed inany way to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the artwill understand that the principles of the present disclosure may beimplemented in any suitably arranged wireless network.

FIG. 1 illustrates exemplary wireless network 100, which determines atleast part of a PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ according to theprinciples of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment,wireless network 100 includes base station (BS) 101, base station (BS)102, base station (BS) 103, and other similar base stations (not shown).Base station 101 is in communication with Internet 130 or a similarIP-based network (not shown).

Depending on the network type, other well-known terms may be usedinstead of “base station,” such as “eNodeB” or “access point”. For thesake of convenience, the term “base station” shall be used herein torefer to the network infrastructure components that provide wirelessaccess to remote terminals.

Base station 102 provides wireless broadband access to Internet 130 to afirst plurality of mobile stations (or user equipment) within coveragearea 120 of base station 102. The first plurality of mobile stationsincludes mobile station 111, which may be located in a small business(SB), mobile station 112, which may be located in an enterprise (E),mobile station 113, which may be located in a WiFi hotspot (HS), mobilestation 114, which may be located in a first residence (R), mobilestation 115, which may be located in a second residence (R), and mobilestation 116, which may be a mobile device (M), such as a cell phone, awireless laptop, a wireless PDA, or the like.

For sake of convenience, the term “mobile station” is used herein todesignate any remote wireless equipment that wirelessly accesses a basestation, whether or not the mobile station is a truly mobile device(e.g., cell phone) or is normally considered a stationary device (e.g.,desktop personal computer, vending machine, etc.). Other well-knownterms may be used instead of “mobile station”, such as “subscriberstation (SS)”, “remote terminal (RT)”, “wireless terminal (WT)”, “userequipment (UE)”, and the like.

Base station 103 provides wireless broadband access to Internet 130 to asecond plurality of mobile stations within coverage area 125 of basestation 103. The second plurality of mobile stations includes mobilestation 115 and mobile station 116. In an exemplary embodiment, basestations 101-103 may communicate with each other and with mobilestations 111-116 using OFDM or OFDMA techniques.

While only six mobile stations are depicted in FIG. 1, it is understoodthat wireless network 100 may provide wireless broadband access toadditional mobile stations. It is noted that mobile station 115 andmobile station 116 are located on the edges of both coverage area 120and coverage area 125. Mobile station 115 and mobile station 116 eachcommunicate with both base station 102 and base station 103 and may besaid to be operating in handoff mode, as known to those of skill in theart.

Exemplary descriptions of closed-loop transmit beamforming schemes basedon codebook design can be found in: 1) D. Love, J. Heath, and T. Strohmer, “Grassmannian Beamforming For Multiple-Input, Multiple-OutputWireless Systems,” IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, October2003, and 2) V. Raghavan, A. M. Sayeed, and N. Boston, “Near-OptimalCodebook Constructions For Limited Feedback Beamforming In CorrelatedMIMO Channels With Few Antennas,” IEEE 2006 International Symposium onInformation Theory. Both references are hereby incorporated by referenceinto this disclosure as if fully set forth herein.

Closed-loop, codebook-based, transmit beamforming may be used in a casewhere a base station forms a transmit antenna beam toward a single useror simultaneously toward multiple users at the same time and at acertain frequency. An exemplary description of such a system may befound in Quentin H. Spencer, Christian B. Peel, A. Lee Swindlehurst,Martin Harrdt, “An Introduction To the Multi-User MIMO Downlink,” IEEECommunication Magazine, October 2004, which is hereby incorporated byreference into this disclosure as if fully set forth herein.

A codebook is a set of pre-determined antenna beams that are known tomobile stations. A codebook-based pre-coding MIMO may providesignificant spectral efficiency gain in the downlink closed-loop MIMO.In the IEEE 802.16e and 3GPP Long-Term Evolution (LTE) standards, a fourtransmit (4-TX) antenna limited feedback based closed-loop MIMOconfiguration is supported. In IEEE 802.16m and 3GPP LTE Advanced(LTE-A) standards, in order to provide peak spectral efficiency, eighttransmit (8-TX) antenna configurations are proposed as a prominentprecoding closed-loop MIMO downlink system. Exemplary descriptions ofsuch systems may be found in 3GPP Technical Specification No. 36.211,“Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA): Physical Channeland Modulation”, which is hereby incorporated by reference into thisdisclosure as if fully set forth herein.

To eliminate the need for the phase calibration process in cases wherechannel sounding signals or common pilot signals (or midamble) are notused for data demodulation purpose, closed-loop transformed,codebook-based transmit beamforming may be utilized. An exemplarydescription of such a system may be found in IEEE C802.16m-08/1345r2,“Transformation Method For Codebook Based Precoding,” November 2008,which is hereby incorporated by reference into this disclosure as iffully set forth herein. The transformed codebook method uses the channelcorrelation information to enhance the performance of the standardcodebook, especially in highly correlated channels, as well as toeliminate the need of phase calibration among multiple transmitantennas. Typically, the channel correlation information is based onsecond-order statistics and thus changes very slowly, which is similarto long-term channel effects, such as shadowing and path loss. As aresult, the feedback overhead and computational complexity associatedwith using correlation information are very small.

FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram 200 of a base station 220 in communicationwith a plurality of mobile stations 202, 404, 406, and 408 according toan embodiment of this disclosure. In FIG. 2, base station 220simultaneously communicates with multiple mobile stations using multipleantenna beams. Each antenna beam is formed toward an intended mobilestation at the same time and using the same frequency. Base station 220and mobile stations 202, 204, 206 and 208 employ multiple antennas fortransmission and reception of radio frequency (RF) signals. In anadvantageous embodiment, the RF signals may be Orthogonal FrequencyDivision Multiplexing (OFDM) signals.

Base station 220 performs simultaneous beamforming through a pluralityof transmitters to each mobile station. For instance, base station 220transmits data to mobile station 202 through a beamformed signal 210,data to mobile station 204 through a beamformed signal 212, data tomobile station 406 through a beamformed signal 214, and data to mobilestation 408 through a beamformed signal 216. In some embodiments of thedisclosure, base station 220 is capable of simultaneously beamforming tothe mobile stations 202, 204, 206 and 208. In some embodiments, eachbeamformed signal is formed toward its intended mobile station at thesame time and the same frequency. For the purpose of clarity, thecommunication from a base station to a mobile station may also bereferred to as “downlink communication” and the communication from amobile station to a base station may be referred to as “uplinkcommunication”.

Base station 220 and mobile stations 202, 204, 206 and 208 employmultiple antennas for transmitting and receiving wireless signals. It isunderstood that the wireless signals may be RF signals and may use anytransmission scheme known to one skilled in the art, including anOrthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) transmission scheme.Mobile stations 202, 204, 206 and 208 may be any device that is capablereceiving wireless signals, such as the mobile stations in FIG. 1.

An OFDM transmission scheme is used to multiplex data in the frequencydomain. Modulation symbols are carried on frequency sub-carriers. Thequadrature amplitude modulated (QAM) symbols are serial-to-parallelconverted and input to an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT)processing block. At the output of the IFFT circuit, N time-domainsamples are obtained. Here N refers to the size of the IFFT/FFT used bythe OFDM system. The signal after IFFT is parallel-to-serial convertedand a cyclic prefix (CP) is added to the signal sequence. A CP is addedto each OFDM symbol to avoid or mitigate the impact due to multipathfading. The resulting sequence of samples is referred to as an OFDMsymbol with a CP. On the receiver side, assuming that perfect time andfrequency synchronization are achieved, the receiver first removes theCP, and the signal is serial-to-parallel converted before being input toa Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) processing block. The output of the FFTcircuit is parallel-to-serial converted, and the resulting QAM symbolsare input to a QAM demodulator.

The total bandwidth in an OFDM system is divided into narrowbandfrequency units called subcarriers. The number of subcarriers is equalto the FFT/IFFT size N used in the system. In general, the number ofsubcarriers used for data is less than N because some subcarriers at theedge of the frequency spectrum are reserved as guard subcarriers. Ingeneral, no information is transmitted on guard subcarriers.

Because each OFDM symbol has finite duration in the time domain, thesub-carriers overlap with each other in the frequency domain. However,the orthogonality is maintained at the sampling frequency assuming thetransmitter and receiver have perfect frequency synchronization. In thecase of frequency offset due to imperfect frequency synchronization orhigh mobility, the orthogonality of the sub-carriers at samplingfrequencies is destroyed, resulting in inter-carrier interference (ICI).

The use of multiple transmit antennas and multiple receive antennas atboth a base station and a single mobile station to improve the capacityand reliability of a wireless communication channel is known as aSingle-User Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output (SU-MIMO) system. A MIMOsystem provides linear increase in capacity with K, where K is theminimum of number of transmit (M) and receive antennas (N) (i.e.,K=min(M,N)). A MIMO system may be implemented with conventional schemesof spatial multiplexing, transmit/receive beamforming, ortransmit/receive diversity.

FIG. 3 illustrates a 4×4 multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) system300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In thisexample, four different data streams 302 are transmitted separatelyusing four transmit antennas 304. The transmitted signals are receivedat four receive antennas 306 and interpreted as received signals 308.Some form of spatial signal processing 310 is performed on the receivedsignals 308 in order to recover four data streams 312.

An example of spatial signal processing is Vertical-Bell LaboratoriesLayered Space-Time (V-BLAST), which uses the successive interferencecancellation principle to recover the transmitted data streams. Othervariants of MIMO schemes include schemes that perform some kind ofspace-time coding across the transmit antennas (e.g., Diagonal BellLaboratories Layered Space-Time (D-BLAST)). In addition, MIMO can beimplemented with a transmit-and-receive diversity scheme and atransmit-and-receive beamforming scheme to improve the link reliabilityor system capacity in wireless communication systems.

MIMO channel estimation consists of estimating the channel gain andphase information for links from each of the transmit antennas to eachof the receive antennas. Therefore, the channel response, H, for N×MMIMO system consists of an N×M matrix, as shown below:

$H = {\begin{bmatrix}a_{11} & a_{12} & \ldots & a_{1M} \\a_{21} & a_{22} & \ldots & a_{2M} \\\vdots & \vdots & \ldots & \vdots \\a_{N\; 1} & a_{M\; 2} & \ldots & a_{NM}\end{bmatrix}.}$

The MIMO channel response is represented by H and aNM represents thechannel gain from transmit antenna N to receive antenna M. In order toenable the estimations of the elements of the MIMO channel matrix,separate pilots may be transmitted from each of the transmit antennas.

As an extension of single user MIMO (SU-MIMO), multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO)is a communication scenario in which a base station with multipletransmit antennas can simultaneously communicate with multiple mobilestations through the use of multi-user beamforming schemes, such asSpatial Division Multiple Access (SDMA), to improve the capacity andreliability of a wireless communication channel.

3GPP TS 36.211 [REF1] describes PUCCH as in the following:

The physical uplink control channel, PUCCH, carries uplink controlinformation. Simultaneous transmission of PUCCH and PUSCH from the sameUE is supported if enabled by higher layers. For frame structure type 2,the PUCCH is not transmitted in the UpPTS field.

The physical uplink control channel supports multiple formats as shownin Table 1. Formats 2a and 2b are supported for normal cyclic prefixonly.

TABLE 1 Supported PUCCH formats. PUCCH Modulation Number of bits performat scheme subframe, M_(bit) 1 N/A N/A 1a BPSK 1 1b QPSK 2 2 QPSK 202a QPSK + BPSK 21 2b QPSK + QPSK 22 3 QPSK 48

All PUCCH formats use a cell-specific cyclic shift, n_(cs)^(cell)(n_(s),l), which varies with the symbol number l and the slotnumber n_(s) according to:

n _(cs) ^(cell)(n _(s) ,l)=Σ_(i=0) ⁷ c(8N _(symb) ^(UL) ·n_(s)+8l+i)·2^(i)

where the pseudo-random sequence c(i) is defined by section 7.2 of REF1.The pseudo-random sequence generator is initialized with c_(init)=N_(ID)^(cell) corresponding to the primary cell at the beginning of each radioframe.

The physical resources used for PUCCH depends on two parameters, N_(RB)⁽²⁾ and N_(cs) ⁽¹⁾, given by higher layers. The variable N_(RB) ⁽²⁾≧0denotes the bandwidth in terms of resource blocks that are available foruse by PUCCH formats 2/2a/2b transmission in each slot. The variableN_(cs) ⁽¹⁾ denotes the number of cyclic shift used for PUCCH formats1/1a/1b in a resource block used for a mix of formats 1/1a/1b and2/2a/2b. The value of N_(cs) ⁽¹⁾ is an integer multiple of Δ_(shift)^(PUCCH) within the range of {0, 1, . . . , 7}, where Δ_(shift) ^(PUCCH)is provided by higher layers. No mixed resource block is present ifN_(cs) ⁽¹⁾=0. At most, one resource block in each slot supports a mix offormats 1/1a/1b and 2/2a/2b. Resources used for transmission of PUCCHformats 1/1a/1b, 2/2a/2b and 3 are represented by the non-negativeindices n_(PUCCH) ^((1,{tilde over (p)})),

${n_{PUCCH}^{({2,\overset{\sim}{p}})} < {{N_{RB}^{(2)}N_{sc}^{RB}} + {\left\lceil \frac{N_{cs}^{(1)}}{8} \right\rceil \cdot \left( {N_{sc}^{RB} - N_{cs}^{(1)} - 2} \right)}}},$

and n_(PUCCH) ^((3,{tilde over (p)})), respectively.

PUCCH Formats 1, 1a and 1b

For PUCCH format 1, information is carried by the presence/absence oftransmission of PUCCH from the UE. In the remainder of this section,d(0)=1 shall be assumed for PUCCH format 1.

For PUCCH formats 1a and 1b, one or two explicit bits are transmitted,respectively. The block of bits b(0), . . . , b(M_(bit)−1) shall bemodulated as described in Table 2, resulting in a complex-valued symbold(0). The modulation schemes for the different PUCCH formats are givenby Table 1.

The complex-valued symbol d(0) shall be multiplied with a cyclicallyshifted length N_(seq) ^(PUCCH)=12 sequence r_(u,v) ^((α)^({tilde over (p)}) ⁾(n) for each of the P antenna ports used for PUCCHtransmission according to:

${{y^{(\overset{\sim}{p})}(n)} = {\frac{1}{\sqrt{P}}{{d(0)} \cdot {r_{u,v}^{(\alpha_{\overset{\sim}{p}})}(n)}}}},\mspace{14mu} {n = 0},1,\ldots \mspace{14mu},{N_{seq}^{PUCCH} - 1}$

where r_(u,v) ^((α) ^({tilde over (p)}) ⁾(n) is defined with M_(sc)^(RS)=N_(seq) ^(PUCCH). The antenna-port specific cyclic shiftα_({tilde over (p)}) varies between symbols and slots as defined below.

The block of complex-valued symbols y^(({tilde over (p)}))(0), . . . ,y^(({tilde over (p)}))(N_(seq) ^(PUCCH)−1) shall be scrambled byS(n_(s)) and block-wise spread with the antenna-port specific orthogonalsequence

$w_{n_{oc}^{(\overset{\sim}{p})}}(i)$

according to:

$z^{(\overset{\sim}{p})} = {\left( {{m^{\prime} \cdot N_{SF}^{PUCCH} \cdot N_{seq}^{PUCCH}} + {m \cdot N_{seq}^{PUCCH}} + n} \right) = {{S\left( n_{s} \right)} \cdot {w_{n_{oc}^{(\overset{\sim}{p})}}(m)} \cdot {y^{(\overset{\sim}{p})}(n)}}}$

Where:

-   -   m=0, . . . , N_(SF) ^(PUCCH)−1    -   n=0, . . . , N_(seq) ^(PUCCH)−1    -   m′=0, 1    -   and

${S\left( n_{s} \right)} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}1 & {{{if}\mspace{14mu} {n_{\overset{\sim}{p}}^{\prime}\left( n_{s} \right)}{mod}\; 2} = 0} \\^{{j\pi}/2} & {otherwise}\end{matrix} \right.$

with N_(SF) ^(PUCCH)=4 for both slots of normal PUCCH formats 1/1a/1b,and N_(SF) ^(PUCCH)=4 for the first slot and N_(SF) ^(PUCCH)=3 for thesecond slot of shortened PUCCH formats 1/1a/1b. The sequence w_(n) _(oc)_(({tilde over (p)})) (i) is given by Table 3 and Table 4 andn′_({tilde over (p)}(n) _(s)) is defined below.

Resources used for transmission of PUCCH format 1, 1a and 1b areidentified by a resource index n_(PUCCH) ^((1,{tilde over (p)})) fromwhich the orthogonal sequence index n_(oc) ^(({tilde over (p)}))(n_(s))and the cyclic shift α_({tilde over (p)})(n_(s),l) are determinedaccording to:

$\begin{matrix}{{n_{oc}^{(\overset{\sim}{p})}\left( n_{s} \right)} = \left\{ {{\begin{matrix}\left\lfloor {{n_{\overset{\sim}{p}}^{\prime}\left( n_{s} \right)} \cdot {\Delta_{shift}^{PUCCH}/N^{\prime}}} \right\rfloor & {{for}\mspace{14mu} {normalcyclicprefix}} \\{2 \cdot \left\lfloor {{n_{\overset{\sim}{p}}^{\prime}\left( n_{s} \right)} \cdot {\Delta_{shift}^{PUCCH}/N^{\prime}}} \right\rfloor} & {{for}\mspace{14mu} {extendedcyclicprefix}}\end{matrix}{\alpha_{\overset{\sim}{p}}\left( {n_{s},l} \right)}} = {{2{\pi \cdot {{n_{cs}^{(\overset{\sim}{p})}\left( {n_{s},l} \right)}/N_{sc}^{RB}}}{n_{cs}^{(\overset{\sim}{p})}\left( {n_{s},l} \right)}} = \left\{ {{\begin{matrix}{\left\lbrack {{n_{cs}^{cell}\left( {n_{s},l} \right)} + {\begin{pmatrix}{{{n_{\overset{\sim}{p}}^{\prime}\left( n_{s} \right)} \cdot \Delta_{shift}^{PUCCH}} +} \\\left( {n_{oc}^{(\overset{\sim}{p})}\left( n_{s} \right){mod}\; \Delta_{shift}^{PUCCH}} \right)\end{pmatrix}{mod}\; N^{\prime}}} \right\rbrack {mod}\; N_{sc}^{RB}} & {{for}\mspace{14mu} {normalcyclicprefix}} \\{\left\lbrack {{n_{cs}^{cell}\left( {n_{s},l} \right)} + {\begin{pmatrix}{{{n_{\overset{\sim}{p}}^{\prime}\left( n_{s} \right)} \cdot \Delta_{shift}^{PUCCH}} +} \\{{n_{oc}^{(\overset{\sim}{p})}\left( n_{s} \right)}/2}\end{pmatrix}{mod}\; N^{\prime}}} \right\rbrack {mod}\; N_{sc}^{RB}} & {{for}\mspace{14mu} {extendedcyclicprefix}}\end{matrix}{where}\text{:}N^{\prime}} = \left\{ {{\begin{matrix}N_{cs}^{(1)} & {{{if}\mspace{14mu} n_{PUCCH}^{({1,\overset{\sim}{p}})}} < {c \cdot {N_{cs}^{(1)}/\Delta_{shift}^{PUCCH}}}} \\N_{sc}^{RB} & {otherwise}\end{matrix}\; c} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}3 & {{normal}\mspace{14mu} {cyclic}\mspace{14mu} {prefix}} \\2 & {{extended}\mspace{14mu} {cyclic}\mspace{14mu} {prefix}}\end{matrix} \right.} \right.} \right.}} \right.} & \;\end{matrix}$

The resource indices within the two resource blocks in the two slots ofa subframe to which the PUCCH is mapped are given by:

${n_{\overset{\sim}{p}}^{\prime}\left( n_{s} \right)} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}n_{PUCCH}^{({1,\overset{\sim}{p}})} & {{{if}\mspace{14mu} n_{PUCCH}^{({1,\overset{\sim}{p}})}} < {c \cdot {N_{cs}^{(1)}/\Delta_{shift}^{PUCCH}}}} \\{\left( {n_{PUCCH}^{({1,\overset{\sim}{p}})} - {c \cdot {N_{cs}^{(1)}/\Delta_{shift}^{PUCCH}}}} \right){{mod}\left( {c \cdot {N_{sc}^{RB}/\Delta_{shift}^{PUCCH}}} \right)}} & {otherwise}\end{matrix} \right.$

for n_(s) mod 2=0 and by:

${n_{\overset{\sim}{p}}^{\prime}\left( n_{s} \right)} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}{{\left\lbrack {c\left( {{n_{\overset{\sim}{p}}^{\prime}\left( {n_{s} - 1} \right)} + 1} \right)} \right\rbrack {{mod}\left( {{{cN}_{sc}^{RB}/\Delta_{shift}^{PUCCH}} + 1} \right)}} - 1} & {n_{PUCCH}^{({1,\overset{\sim}{p}})} \geq {c \cdot {N_{cs}^{(1)}/\Delta_{shift}^{PUCCH}}}} \\{\left. {\left\lfloor {h_{\overset{\sim}{p}}/c} \right\rfloor + {h_{\overset{\sim}{p}}{mod}\; c}} \right){N^{\prime}/\Delta_{shift}^{PUCCH}}} & {otherwise}\end{matrix} \right.$

for n_(s) mod 2=1, whereh_({tilde over (p)})=(n′_({tilde over (p)})(n_(s)−1)+d)mod(cN′/Δ_(shift)^(PUCCH)), with d=2 for normal CP and d=0 for extended CP.

The parameter deltaPUCCH-Shift Δ_(shift) ^(PUCCH) is provided by higherlayers.

TABLE 2 Modulation symbol d(0) for PUCCH formats 1a and 1b. PUCCH formatb(0), . . . , b(M_(bit) − 1) d(0) 1a 0  1 1 −1 1b 00  1 01 −j 10  j 11−1

TABLE 3 Orthogonal sequences [w(0) . . . w(N_(SF) ^(PUCCH) − 1)] forN_(SF) ^(PUCCH) = 4. Orthogonal sequences Sequence index n_(oc)^(({tilde over (p)})) (n_(s)) [w(0) . . . w(N_(SF) ^(PUCCH) − 1)] 0 [+1+1 +1 +1] 1 [+1 −1 +1 −1] 2 [+1 −1 −1 +1]

TABLE 4 Orthogonal sequences [w(0) . . . w(N_(SF) ^(PUCCH) − 1)] forN_(SF) ^(PUCCH) = 3. Orthogonal sequences Sequence index n_(oc)^(({tilde over (p)}))(n_(s)) [w(0) . . . w(N_(SF) ^(PUCCH) − 1)] 0 [1 11] 1 [1 e^(j2π/3) e^(j4π/3)] 2 [1 e^(j4π/3) e^(j2π/3)]

Mapping to Physical Resources

The block of complex-valued symbols z^(({tilde over (p)}))(i) shall bemultiplied with the amplitude scaling factor β_(PUCCH) in order toconform to the transmit power P_(PUCCH), and mapped in sequence startingwith z^(({tilde over (p)}))(0) to resource elements. PUCCH uses oneresource block in each of the two slots in a subframe. Within thephysical resource block used for transmission, the mapping ofz^(({tilde over (p)}))(i) to resource elements (k,l) on antenna port pand not used for transmission of reference signals shall be inincreasing order of first k, then l and finally the slot number,starting with the first slot in the subframe.

The physical resource blocks to be used for transmission of PUCCH inslot n_(s) are given by:

$n_{PRB} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}\left\lfloor \frac{m}{2} \right\rfloor & {{{{if}\left( {m + {n_{s}{mod}\; 2}} \right)}{mod}\; 2} = 0} \\{N_{RB}^{UL} - 1 - \left\lfloor \frac{m}{2} \right\rfloor} & {{{{if}\left( {m + {n_{s}{mod}\; 2}} \right)}{mod}\; 2} = 1}\end{matrix} \right.$

where the variable m depends on the PUCCH format. For formats 1, 1a and1b:

$m = \left\{ {{\begin{matrix}N_{RB}^{(2)} & {{{if}\mspace{14mu} n_{PUCCH}^{({1,\overset{\sim}{p}})}} < {c \cdot {N_{cs}^{(1)}/\Delta_{shift}^{PUCCH}}}} \\{\left\lfloor \frac{n_{PUCCH}^{({1,\overset{\sim}{p}})} - {c \cdot {N_{cs}^{(1)}/\Delta_{shift}^{PUCCH}}}}{c \cdot {N_{sc}^{RB}/\Delta_{shift}^{PUCCH}}} \right\rfloor + N_{RB}^{(2)} + \left\lceil \frac{N_{cs}^{(1)}}{8} \right\rceil} & {otherwise}\end{matrix}c} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}3 & {{normal}\mspace{14mu} {cyclic}\mspace{14mu} {prefix}} \\2 & {{extended}\mspace{14mu} {cyclic}\mspace{14mu} {prefix}}\end{matrix} \right.} \right.$

Mapping of modulation symbols for the physical uplink control channel isillustrated in FIG. 4.

In case of simultaneous transmission of sounding reference signal andPUCCH format 1, 1a, 1b or 3 when there is one serving cell configured, ashortened PUCCH format shall be used where the last SC-FDMA symbol inthe second slot of a subframe shall be left empty.

PUCCH Base Sequence Assignment

In RAN1#68bis, the following is agreed on the PUCCH base sequenceassignment.

In addition to the existing mechanism, a UE can support the generationof a PUCCH base sequence and a cyclic shift hopping by replacing thephysical cell ID NIDcell with a UE-specifically configured parameter X.

FFS if different PUCCH formats share a common X, or have different Xvalues.

FFS on relationship with UE-specific configuration of other RS (e.g.,PUCCH DMRS, . . . ).

Companies are encouraged to investigate in mechanisms to provideseparate regions for A/Ns associated with different base sequences.

CoMP Scenarios

In 36.819, the following coordinated multipoint (CoMP)transmission/reception scenarios were discussed.

Scenario 1: Homogeneous network with intra-site CoMP, as illustrated inFIG. 5.

Scenario 2: Homogeneous network with high Tx power RRHs, as illustratedin FIG. 6.

Scenario 3: Heterogeneous network with low power RRHs within themacrocell coverage where the transmission/reception points created bythe RRHs have different cell IDs as the macro cell as illustrated inFIG. 7.

Scenario 4: Heterogeneous network with low power RRHs within themacrocell coverage where the transmission/reception points created bythe RRHs have the same cell IDs as the macro cell as illustrated in FIG.7.

In Samsung contribution R1-121639, one example of PUCCH resourcepartition for CoMP Scenario 3 is considered as shown in FIG. 8. Thecontribution also discusses the issues associated with the example as inthe following.

Several possible partitions of CoMP and non-CoMP UL resources exist.FIG. 8 shows an example of a partitioning of the UL resources for themacro-eNB and an RRH for CoMP Scenario 3. A similar partitioning mayapply for CoMP Scenario 4 by configuring the sequence for HARQ-ACKtransmissions in the CoMP region of the RRH resources a UE-specificmanner.

Regardless of whether RRC signaling or dynamic signaling is used toindicate the beginning of the CoMP PUCCH resources (N_(PUCCH,COMP) ⁽¹⁾value) for HARQ-ACK signal transmissions using PUCCH format 1a/1b (withchannel selection in case of TDD), an UL overhead increase occurs. It isnoted that the number of UEs scheduled PDSCH or SPS release per subframeis largely independent of whether UL CoMP is used for HARQ-ACK signaltransmissions and therefore, in principle, there should not be anincrease in the respective PUCCH resources.

Moreover, when UL CoMP is applied, only few UEs per subframe on averagemay require HARQ-ACK transmission using CoMP resources which may lead tosignificant underutilization.

When PUCCH CoMP resources need to be assigned to only one or few dynamicHARQ-ACK transmissions, multiple PRBs may be used for a single or fewHARQ-ACK transmissions if the PUCCH resource n_(PUCCH) is implicitlydetermined as n_(PUCCH)=n_(CCE)+N_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ where n_(CCE) is the firstCCE of the respective PDCCH and N_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾=N_(PUCCH,CoMP) ⁽¹⁾ is anoffset configured either dynamically or by RRC. If the value of n_(CCE)is large, multiple PRBs may be used to convey only a single or fewHARQ-ACK transmissions. For example, for a 20 MHz BW, N_(CCE)=87 CCEs (2CRS ports), and 20 legacy PUCCH PRBs (80 PUSCH PRBs), ┌N_(CCE)·Δ_(shift)^(PUCCH)/(N_(sc) ^(RB)·N_(oc))┐ PRBs are required for HARQ-ACK signaltransmissions using PUCCH format 1a/1b which for Δ_(shift) ^(PUCCH)=2 orΔ_(shift) ^(PUCCH)=3 is equivalent to 5 or 8 additional PRBsrespectively. Therefore, the additional CoMP resources for dynamicHARQ-ACK transmissions with PUCCH format 1a/1b from macro-UEs may reduceUL throughput by an additional 6%-40% only for supporting a very smallnumber of UEs.

An overhead increase in the order of 6%40% is unacceptable and should besubstantially reduced. One option for such reduction is by schedulerrestrictions where small CCE numbers are used for PDCCH transmissions toUEs for which CoMP resources are used for the respective HARQ-ACK signaltransmissions using PUCCH format 1a/1b. However, aside of increasing theblocking probability and imposing scheduler restrictions, this optioncan only have limited benefits as the first 16 CCEs are typically usedin the CSS for PDCCHs scheduling system information.

A Search Space Design for Localized ePDCCH

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary embodiment on how to decide the leadingeCCE and the DMRS port for defining a search space for localized ePDCCH.The ePDCCH search space indicates the ePDCCH candidates and theassociated DMRS port while the SCID of the DMRS is configured by ahigher layer.

For eCCE aggregation levels Lε{1, 2, 4, 8}, the eCCEs corresponding toePDCCH candidate m are given by, e.g.:

CCEs for ePDCCH candidate m: L·└X _(k,m) /L┘+i  (eq. 9)

Example 1 to determine X_(k,m):

In one example, X_(k,m)=(Y_(k)+L·m′)mod(L└N_(eCCE,k)/L┘, N_(eCCE,k) isthe total number of eCCEs for the localized ePDCCHs in subframe k andi=0, . . . , L−1. If ePCFICH is not introduced for dynamic configurationof the localized control region size, N_(eCCE,k) is determined by higherlayer signaling and does not vary depending on subframe index k. For theUE-SS, for the serving cell on which ePDCCH is monitored, if themonitoring UE is configured with carrier indicator field thenm′=m+M^((L))·n_(CI) where n_(CI) is the carrier indicator field value,else if the monitoring UE is not configured with carrier indicator fieldthen m′=m, where m=0, . . . , M^((L))−1, and M^((L)) is the number ofePDCCH candidates to monitor in the search space.

Example 2 to determine X_(k,m):

X _(k,m)=(Y _(k) +m′)mod(N _(ECCE,k))

and

m′=N _(ECCEperPRB)·(m+M ^((L)) ·n _(CI))+L·└N _(ECCEperPRB)(m+M ^((L))·n _(CI))/N _(ECCE,k)┘.

Here, N_(ECCE,k) is the total number of ECCEs in a localized EPDCCH setin subframe k, N_(ECCEperPRB)=4 (or N_(ECCEperPRB)=2) is the totalnumber of ECCEs per PRB pair, n_(CI) is the CIF value (as in Rel-10 CA),m=0, . . . , M^((L))−1, and Y_(k) is the Rel-10 pseudo-random variablebased on the C-RNTI with Y_(k)=(A·Y_(k-1))mod D, where Y⁻¹=n_(RNTI)≠0,A=39827, D=65537 and k=└n_(s)/2┘, n_(s) is the slot number within aradio frame.

For AL of 8 ECCEs, when supported, the ECCEs are obtained as for AL of 4ECCEs by including an additional PRB pairs (in same RBG—same for thecase of 2 ECCEs per PRB pairs and an AL of 4 ECCEs) REF3.

In the equation to determine m′, the first term selects the PRB pair andthe second term selects the ECCEs within a PRB pair. Localized EPDCCHcandidates are first placed in different PRB pairs. If the number ofcandidates (for a given ECCE AL) is greater than the number of PRB pairsthen, at each iteration of placing a candidate in a PRB pair, theadditional candidates are placed in different PRB pairs while avoidingoverlap with ECCEs used by previous candidates.

Determination of DMRS APs

The DMRS AP, p_(k,m), for candidate m in subframe k can be part of thesearch space and is determined as

p _(k,m)=107+(X _(k,m) −N _(ECCEperPRB) └X _(k,m) /N _(ECCEperPRB)┘)modN _(DMRS)

where N_(DMRS) is the number of DMRS APs.

In this embodiment, a random variable X_(k,m) points an eCCE. FIG. 9shows an example of the decision of the leading eCCE and the DMRS portin this embodiment. In this example, N_(DMRS)=4 is assumed. Each eCCE ismapped to a DMRS port such as:

eCCE 4n is mapped to DMRS port 7.

eCCE 4n+1 is mapped to DMRS port 8.

eCCE 4n+2 is mapped to DMRS port 9.

eCCE 4n+3 is mapped to DMRS port 10.

In the example of FIG. 9, X_(k,m) pointed eCCE 8 k+5. When the LTE Rel-8rule of making a PDCCH candidate is applied to this example, it leads tothe following ePDCCH construction method for each aggregation level:

In case of L=1, eCCE 8 k+5 will construct an ePDCCH candidate with theleading eCCE 8 k+5.

In case of L=2, eCCEs 8 k+4 and 8 k+5 will construct an ePDCCH candidatewith the leading eCCE 8 k+4.

In case of L=4, eCCEs 8 k+4 to 8 k+7 will construct an ePDCCH candidatewith the leading eCCE 8 k+4.

In case of L=8, eCCEs 8 k to 8 k+7 will construct an ePDCCH candidatewith the leading eCCE 8 k.

The DMRS port is decided by the leading eCCE of an ePDCCH candidate. Onthe other hand, the DMRS port is decided by X_(k,m). This allowsmultiple UEs to have a given ePDCCH candidate with orthogonal DMRS portsand this operation implicitly supports the orthogonal DMRS assistedMU-MIMO of ePDCCHs.

For example, assuming that a random variable X_(k,m) for a UE (UE-a)points eCCE 8 k+5 and that for another UE (UE-b) points eCCE 8 k+4. Incase of L=2, both UEs will have the same ePDCCH candidate which consistsof eCCEs 8 k+4 and 8 k+5. Both UEs who have the ePDCCH candidate aresupposed to use same DMRS port 7 as shown in FIG. 10. To supportMU-MIMO, both UEs should be assigned different SCID. This is theoperation of non-orthogonal DMRS assisted MU-MIMO. On the other hand,UE-a and UE-b will be assigned DMRS ports 8 and 7, respectively, asshown in FIG. 10. It allows the orthogonal DMRS assisted MU-MIMO.

In this embodiment, the non-orthogonal DMRS assisted MU-MIMO is alsosupportable by either configuring the SCID of the DMRS either via aUE-specific higher layer signaling or determining it by a parameter,e.g. the transmission point identification (TPID) in the distributedantenna systems.

Therefore, this embodiment supports both orthogonal DMRS assistedMU-MIMO and non-orthogonal DMRS assisted MU-MIMO and presents moreflexibility in ePDCCH scheduling to the eNB.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for determining at least part of aPUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ (PUCCH format 1a/1b) associated withan ePDCCH PRB set.

In the present disclosure, an LTE UE transmits a HARQ-ACK on PUCCHformat 1a/1b in response to a PDSCH transmission scheduled by a DLassignment on either PDCCH or ePDCCH. The DL grant on PDCCH istransmitted in a number of control channel elements (CCEs), where eachCCE is indexed by integer numbers, denoted by n_(CCE). The DL assignmenton ePDCCH is transmitted in a number of enhanced CCEs (eCCEs), whereeach enhanced eCCE is indexed by integer numbers, denoted by n_(eCCE).

Up to Rel-10 LTE system, the UE derives the PUCCH format 1/1b indexn_(PUCCH) in response to a dynamically scheduled PDSCH by the followingequation,

n _(PUCCH) =n _(CCE) +N _(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾

where n_(CCE) is the smallest CCE number conveying the DL assignment,and N_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ is cell-specifically higher-layer (RRC) configured.

For configuring PUCCH UL CoMP, a Rel-11 UE may receive an RRCconfiguration comprising a number of UE-specific parameters. Someexamples of UE-specific parameters are:

A PUCCH virtual cell ID X to replace the physical cell ID in the legacyequations for UL RS base sequence generation.

A UE-specific PUCCH resource offset N_(PUCCH-UE) ⁽¹⁾ to replaceN_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ in the legacy PUCCH format 1a/1b indexing equation.

It is noted that the two parameters X and N_(PUCCH-UE) ⁽¹⁾ may bejointly or independently configured. In one example of the jointconfiguration, X can only be configured when N_(PUCCH-UE) ⁽¹⁾ isconfigured. In another example of joint configuration, N_(PUCCH-UE) ⁽¹⁾can only be configured when X is configured.

When the network assigns overlapping regions for the HARQ-ACKs generatedwith different base sequences, the overhead issue may be somewhatmitigated; however, significant scheduling restrictions may still beimposed in order to prevent resource collisions if any meaningfuloverhead reduction is to be achieved. More specifically, in order toprevent the resource collision, the overlapped region should be used forPUCCHs generated with the same base sequence. For example, for resourcecollision avoidance, the overlapped region should only contain PUCCHsgenerated with physical cell ID. Considering that the PDCCH hashingfunction changes the UE-specific search space every subframe for eachUE, the only way to ensure this is that eNB does not transmit any DLgrants for those UEs who are assigned with a virtual cell ID and happento have the UE-specific search space in the overlapped region. Asillustrated in FIG. 11, in subframes when UEs 1-4 has UE-specific searchspace in the overlapped PRB, eNB should not transmit DL grants to UE1-4for avoiding collision. Depending on the number of UL CoMP UEs, this mayincrease blocking probability and reduce DL throughout (“many” UL CoMPUEs) or it may result to significant underutilization of the CoMP PUCCHresources (“few” UL CoMP UEs) thereby decreasing UL throughput.

For avoiding collision of resources between PUCCH HARQ-ACKs in responseto ePDCCH and PDCCH, one proposal discussed in RAN1 is to introduce aUE-specific PUCCH offset, e.g., N_(PUCCH-UE-ePDCCH) ⁽¹⁾ to replaceN_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ in the PUCCH format 1a/1b indexing equation.

If both of N_(PUCCH-UE) ⁽¹⁾ and N_(PUCCH-UE-ePDCCH) ⁽¹⁾ are introduced,the resulting PUCCH HARQ-ACK overhead could be triple/quadruple ascompared to the legacy PUCCH, which may not be desirable.

In order for eNBs to efficiently managing the PUCCH overhead, a newPUCCH format 1a/1b indexing mechanism needs to be introduced to supportPUCCH UL CoMP and ePDCCH.

Exemplary Embodiment 1

Depending on whether a DL assignment is carried in the PDCCH or theePDCCH, a UE differently derives the index of PUCCH format 1a/1bn_(PUCCH) to carry HARQ-ACK in response to a PDSCH scheduled by the DLassignment.

When PDCCH carries the DL assignment, the UE uses the following equationto derive n_(PUCCH), where the smallest CCE number used for carrying theDL assignment is n_(CCE):

n _(PUCCH) =n _(CCE) +N

When ePDCCH carries the DL assignment, the UE uses the followingequation to derive n_(PUCCH):

n _(PUCCH) =n _(eCCE) +N′+n _(offset).

This embodiment can effectively avoid collision of PUCCH HARQ-ACKresources by configuring a non-zero n_(offset) when two PUCCH resourcesare implicitly determined by a legacy PDCCH CCE number, and a ePDCCHeCCE number and the CCE number and the eCCE number happen to be thesame.

Exemplary Embodiment 2

A UE derives the index of PUCCH format 1/1b n_(PUCCH) to carry HARQ-ACKin response to a PDSCH scheduled by a DL assignment as in the following:

When PDCCH carries the DL assignment, the UE uses the following equationto derive n_(PUCCH) where the smallest CCE number used for carrying theDL assignment is n_(CCE):

n _(PUCCH) =n _(CCE) +N+n _(offset).

When ePDCCH carries the DL assignment, the UE uses the followingequation to derive n_(PUCCH):

n _(PUCCH) =n _(eCCE) +N′+n _(offset).

This embodiment can effectively avoid collision of PUCCH HARQ-ACKresources by configuring different n_(offset)'s for the two PUCCHHARQ-ACKs in response to a PDCCH and an ePDCCH.

Details regarding the parameters in the equations for n_(PUCCH) areexplained below.

Determination of N and N′

In one method, N′=N, in which case the network (eNB) configures only onevalue for the N and N′.

In another method, N′≠N, in which case the network (eNB) configures afirst and a second values for N and N′ respectively.

In one method, the value of N (and also N′ in case N′=N) is determineddepending on whether a UE-specific N_(PUCCH-UE) ⁽¹⁾ is configured ornot.

In one example, when N_(PUCCH-UE) ⁽¹⁾ is configured, N=N_(PUCCH-UE) ⁽¹⁾,i.e., the UE-specific resource offset; otherwise N=N_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾, i.e.,the legacy cell-specific resource offset.

In another method, the value of N′ is determined depending on whether aUE-specific N_(PUCCH-UE-ePDCCH) ⁽¹⁾ is configured or not.

In one example, when N_(PUCCH-UE-ePDCCH) ⁽¹⁾ is configured,N′=N_(PUCCH-UE-ePDCCH) ⁽¹⁾, i.e. the UE-specific resource offset;otherwise N′=N_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾, i.e., the legacy cell-specific resourceoffset.

In one method, eNB may only be able to configure N′=N_(PUCCH-UE-ePDCCH)⁽¹⁾, and N is the same as the cell specific offset, i.e., N_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾.

In another method, eNB may only be able to configure N=N_(PUCCH-UE) ⁽¹⁾,and N′ is the same as the cell specific offset, i.e., N_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾.

In one method, the value of N (and also N′ in case N′=N) is determinedby at least one of the CFI value (or the number of OFDM symbols used forlegacy PDCCH region) indicated by PCFICH in the current subframe and theUE-specifically configured parameter, N_(PUCCH-UE) ⁽¹⁾. In a firstexample,

N=N _(PUCCH-UE) ⁽¹⁾−(3−CFI)·N _(CCEs) ^(symbol).

In a second example,

N=N _(PUCCH-UE) ⁽¹⁾+(CFI−1)·N _(CCEs) ^(symbol).

In these examples, N_(CCEs) ^(symbols) is the total number of CCEs perOFDM symbol. The second example case is illustrated in FIG. 12. Asillustrated in FIG. 12, this method can efficiently control the PUCCHD-ACK (dynamic ACK/NACK) resource overhead by dynamically changing thestarting region of PUCCHs associated with ePDCCHs.

When N_(PUCCH-UE) ⁽¹⁾ is not configured, N=N_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾.

When N_(PUCCH-UE) ⁽¹⁾ is configured, the starting position of the 2ndPUCCH region where the virtual cell ID is used for generating the PUCCHbase sequence is determined. In addition, having n_(offset) the PUCCHresource collision caused from the implicit indexing of the resource byCCE and eCCE numbers can be avoided. For example, when eNB transmits twoDL assignments to two different UEs where one DL assignment is carriedin the PDCCH and the other DL assignment is carried in the ePDCCH, andthe corresponding smallest CCE number and eCCE number happen to be thesame, the resource collision can be avoided by setting a non-zeron_(offset) for a UE receiving ePDCCH.

In one method, the UE is also configured with the virtual cell ID X, inwhich case the UE generates PUCCH base sequence with replacing thephysical cell ID with X in the legacy equations for UL RS base sequencegeneration.

In one method, the virtual cell ID X and the UE-specific resource offsetN_(PUCCH-UE) ⁽¹⁾ are jointly configured.

Definition of n_(eCCE)

Some alternatives for the definition of n_(eCCE) are listed below:

Alt 1: the smallest eCCE number used for carrying the DL assignment.

Alt 2: an eCCE number associated with a selected DM RS antenna port forthe DL assignment transmission (one example of such an association isshown in FIG. 10)

Alt 3: an eCCE number indicated by the random variable X_(k,m) (as shownin FIG. 9).

Alt 4: The definition of n_(eCCE) changes depending on whether localizedePDCCH or distributed ePDCCH is used.

In one example, in case distributed ePDCCH is used, n_(eCCE) is thesmallest eCCE number used for carrying the DL assignment; on the otherhand, in case localized ePDCCH is used, n_(eCCE) is an eCCE numberassociated with a selected DM RS antenna port for the DL assignmenttransmission.

In another example, in case distributed ePDCCH is used, n_(eCCE) is thesmallest eCCE number used for carrying the DL assignment; on the otherhand, in case localized ePDCCH is used, n_(eCCE) is an eCCE numberindicated by the random variable X_(k,m).

Alt 2, Alt 3, Alt 4 can make sure that two UEs receiving DL assignmentsin the same set of eCCEs send PUCCH HARQ-ACK in two different resources.To see this, suppose that a first and a second UEs receive DLassignments in the same set of eCCEs, say, eCCEs #0 and #1, while thefirst and the second UEs are assigned DMRS antenna ports (APs) 7 and 8respectively for the ePDCCH demodulation. When the smallest eCCE number(n_(leading-eCCE)) is used for PUCCH HARQ-ACK indexing withn_(offset)=0, the two UEs will be assigned the same PUCCH resource,n_(PUCCH)=n_(leading-eCCE)+N+n_(offset)=0N+0=N. To resolve this resourcecollision, any of Alt 2, Alt 3, Alt 4 can be used.

In one method, n_(eCCE) is the same as an eCCE number associated with aselected DM RS antenna port for the DL assignment transmission, and thefirst UE and the second UE can use different n_(eCCE) numbers to derivethe PUCCH resources, because the two UEs are assigned two different APsfor the ePDCCH demodulation. In particular, the first UE derives

n _(eCCE) =n _(leading-eCCE)+(p ₁−7)=0+(7−7)=0

and the second UE derives

n _(eCCE) =n _(leading-eCCE)+(p ₂−7)=0+(8−7)=1,

where p1 and p2 are the assigned DMRS port numbers for the first and thesecond UEs respectively.

According to the current method, the following example cases areconsidered.

In case of 8-CCE aggregation in the localized ePDCCH, the DL grant maybe transmitted across two PRBs (or VRBs), and hence two eCCE numbers maycorrespond to the selected antenna port p, one per PRB; then, n_(eCCE)is the smallest one out of the two eCCE numbers, selected according ton_(eCCE)=n_(leading-eCCE)+(p−7).

In the distributed ePDCCH, number of DM RS antenna ports associated withthe DL assignment transmission can be more than one. In this case,n_(eCCE) does not depend on the selected DM RS antenna port number andn_(eCCE) is the smallest eCCE number, i.e., n_(leading-eCCE).

In another method, n_(eCCE) is the same as an eCCE number indicated bythe random variable X_(k,m) as shown in FIG. 9 and related text in thebackground section. Two UEs receive DL assignments in the same set ofeCCEs in the same aggregation level (L=2), say, eCCEs 8 k+4 and 8 k+5,are assigned two different PUCCH resources, as long as the two UEs havedifferent X_(k,m)'s. Suppose that a first UE's and a second UE's X_(k,m)are 8 k+4, and 8 k+5 respectively. Then the n_(eCCE)'s of the first andthe second UEs are determined to be 8 k+4 and 8 k+5 respectively, i.e.,

n _(eCCE) =X _(k,m).

Derivation of the Antenna Port Number p to be Used for the Demodulationof an ePDCCH

In one method, the antenna port number p is determined at least partlyupon the UE-ID (or an RNTI), i.e., p=f(RNTI), where f(.) is a function.Some examples are:

p=(RNTI mod 4)+7;

p=(RNTI mod 2)+7.

In another method, the antenna port number p is determined by the randomvariable X_(k,m) introduced in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10.

Definition of n_(offset):

Regarding the n_(offset), the following alternative indication methodscan be considered.

Alt 0: The value of n_(offset) is a constant (e.g., 0).

Alt 1: The value of n_(offset) is dynamically indicated by a field (or acode-point) in the DL assignment.

Alt 2: The value of n_(offset) is determined by a function of the UE-ID(or RNTI, e.g. C-RNTI).

Alt 3: The value of n_(offset) is determined by a function of a firstand a second parameters, where the second parameter is dynamicallyindicated by a field (or a code-point) in the DL assignment.

Alt 4: Whether the value of n_(offset) is dynamically indicated by afield (or a code point) in the DL assignment or n_(offset) is a constantvalue (e.g., 0) is configured by a parameter signaled in the higherlayer (e.g., RRC).

Alt 5: The value of n_(offset) is RRC configured.

The field in Alt 1, Alt 3 and Alt 4 is denoted as ACK/NACK ResourceIndicator (ARI), and an N_(ARI)-bit ARI can indicate one out of 2^(N)^(ARI) candidate numbers. The indicated value by the ARI is called Y.Some examples of indicating Y using ARI are shown in below tables, whenN_(ARI)=1 or 2.

(Example 1) An (Example 2) An indicated value N_(ARI) (=2)-bit ARIindicated value of Y of Y 00  0 Alt 1: A first RRC configured value Alt2: Fixed to be zero 01 +1 A second RRC configured value 10 −1 A thirdRRC configured value 11 +2 A fourth RRC configured value (Example 3) An(Example 4) An indicated value N_(ARI) (=1)-bit ARI indicated value of Yof Y  0  0 Alt 1: A first RRC configured value Alt 2: Fixed to be zero 1 +1 A second RRC configured valueIn one method, the value of n_(offset) is dynamically indicated by theARI field in the DL assignment, according to a relation of n_(offset)=Y.In this case, a person having ordinary skill in the art will see thatn_(PUCCH)=n_(eCCE)+N+Y. when ePDCCH carries the DL assignment accordingto exemplary embodiments 1 and 2. In an earlier embodiment, in casedistributed ePDCCH is used, n_(eCCE) is the smallest eCCE number usedfor carrying the DL assignment; on the other hand, in case localizedePDCCH is used, n_(eCCE) is an eCCE number indicated by the randomvariable X_(k,m). It is also noted that in later embodiments, g(RNTI) issometimes referred to by Δ.

In another method, the value of n_(offset) is determined by a functionof a first parameter and a second parameters. For example, the firstparameter is UE-ID (or RNTI), and the second parameter is ARI or Y. Oneexample function for n_(offset) is:

n_(offset)=Y+g(RNTI). In this case, a person having ordinary skill inthe art will see that n_(PUCCH)=n_(eCCE)+N′+Y+g (RNTI) when ePDCCHcarries the DL assignment according to exemplary embodiments 1 and 2. Inan earlier embodiment, in case distributed ePDCCH is used, n_(eCCE) isthe smallest eCCE number used for carrying the DL assignment; on theother hand, in case localized ePDCCH is used, n_(eCCE) is an eCCE numberindicated by the random variable X_(k,m). It is also noted that in laterembodiments, g(RNTI) is sometimes referred to by Δ.

Here, examples for g(.) are:

g(RNTI)=(RNTI mod 4);

g(RNTI)=(RNTI mod 2).

In another method, the value of n_(offset) is determined by a functionof the UE-ID (or RNTI, e.g. C-RNTI).

In one example, n_(offset)=(RNTI mod 4).

In another example, n_(offset)=(RNTI mod 2).

In one method, explicit N_(ARI) bits are added to an existing DCI formatto carry a DL assignment (e.g., DCI format 1A, 2/2A/2B/2C) to carry then_(offset) information, where example values for N_(ARI) are 1 and 2.

In one method,

When DCI formats 2B/2C are used for carrying the DL assignment, the SCIDfield is used for indicating one out of 2 candidate values for theN_(ARI)(=1)-bit ARI. One example indication method is shown in the belowtable.

SCID ARI 0 0 1 1

When DCI formats 1/1A/2/2A/1C (which does not have the SCID field) areused for the DL assignment, Y is fixed to be 0.

It is noted that DCI formats 2B and 2C are used for scheduling PDSCHs onantenna ports 7-14, for which UE-specific reference signals (UE-RS) areprovided on the same antenna ports. On the other hand, when a UEreceives ePDCCH, the UE is required to do channel estimation with UE-RS(antenna ports 7-10). Hence, the UE is more likely to receive DCIformats 2B and 2C on the ePDCCH, for which it would be good to provideARI to prevent PUCCH resource collision.

In one method,

When DCI formats 2B/2C are used for carrying the DL assignment, theindicated rank (or number of layers) and the indicated antenna portnumber(s) are used for indicating one out of 2 candidate values for theN_(ARI) (=1)-bit ART. One example indication method is shown in thebelow table.

(Rank, Antenna port number) ARI (1, 7) 0 (1, 8) 1 (2-8, —) Alt 1: 0 Alt2: 1

When DCI formats 1/1A/2/2A/1C (which does not indicate the antenna portnumber(s)) are used for the DL assignment, Y is fixed to be 0.

In one method,

When DCI formats 2B/2C are used for carrying the DL assignment, theindicated rank (or number of layers), the indicated antenna portnumber(s) and SCID field are used for indicating one out of candidatevalues for the ARI. One example indication method is shown in the belowtable.

(Rank, Antenna port number) SCID ARI (1, 7) 0 0 (1, 7) 1 1 (1, 8) 0 2(1, 8) 1 3 (2, 7-8) 0 0 (2, 7-8) 1 1 (3-8, —) 0 0

When DCI formats 1/1A/2/2A/1C (which does not indicate the antenna portnumber(s)) are used for the DL assignment, Y is fixed to be 0.

In one method, one PRB number out of PDSCH's PRB numbers (scheduled bythe ePDCCH or PDCCH) indicates a state in the ARI. Here, the one PRBnumber can be the smallest one out of the scheduled PDSCH's PRB numbers.

In one method, HARQ process ID in the current DL grant DCI formatindicates a state in the ARI.

In one method, redundancy version (RV) in the current DL grant DCIformat indicates a state in the ARI.

In one method, the N_(ARI)-bit ARI is included only in the DLassignments transmitted in a first region; the indication field is notincluded in the DL assignments transmitted in a second region.

In one example, the first region is the ePDCCH and the second region isthe legacy PDCCH.

In another example, the first region is the localized ePDCCH and thesecond region is the distributed ePDCCH.

In still other example, the first region is the ePDCCH and the legacyPDCCH UE-specific search space; and the second region is legacy PDCCHcommon search space.

Suppose that a UE-specific search space of a UE configured with ePDCCHis split into the two regions. In this case, the total number of blinddecodes A for the UE-specific search space is sum of two numbers, B andC, i.e.,

A=B+C,

where B and C are the numbers of blind decodes to be done in the firstand the second region, respectively.

Example 1

When UL MIMO is not configured, B is the number of blind decodes to bespent for transmission-mode specific DL DCI formats (e.g., DCI formats1/2/2A/2B/2C and a new DCI format defined for DL CoMP transmissionmode).

Example 2

When UL MIMO is configured, B is the number of blind decodes to be spentfor transmission-mode specific DL DCI formats (e.g., DCI formats1/2/2A/2B/2C and a new DCI format defined for DL CoMP transmission mode)and UL MIMO DCI format (i.e., DCI format 4).

Example 3

C is the number of blind decodes to be spent for DCI formats for DLfallback transmissions and UL single-layer transmissions (i.e., DCIformat 0 and 1A).

In one embodiment, a UE interprets the ARI bits differently and derivesthe PUCCH format 1a/1b resource differently, depending on whether the UEis configured with a PUCCH virtual cell ID or not.

When the UE is not configured with the PUCCH virtual cell ID, the UEdetermines a PUCCH HARQ-ACK resource as in exemplary embodiment 1 or inexemplary embodiment 2, and derives the PRB number, the OCC number andCS number according to 3 GPP LTE Rel-10 specifications RE1.

In one method, when the UE is configured with the PUCCH virtual cell ID,each state generated by the ARI bits may indicate how to derive a PRBnumber to carry the PUCCH format 1a/1b, e.g., whether to follow theRel-10 specification to derive the PRB number out of n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾, orto use a UE-specifically RRC configured number mUE to derive the PRBnumber.

The states generated by ARI indicate the information to derive a PRBnumber as in the following tables.

PRB number derivation N_(ARI) (=2)-bit ARI 00 Alt 1: m is derivedaccording to R10 specification with utilizing n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ Alt 2: Afourth RRC configured value, m_(UE,4) 01 A first RRC configured value,m_(UE,1) 10 A second RRC configured value, m_(UE,2) 11 A third RRCconfigured value, m_(UE,3) N_(ARI) (=1)-bit ARI  0 Alt 1: m is derivedaccording to R10 specification with utilizing n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ Alt 2: Asecond RRC configured value, mUE, 2  1 An RRC configured value, mUE, 1n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ = n_(CCE) + N (for PDCCH), or n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ = n_(eCCE) +N′ (for PDCCH).

When a UE is indicated to use m=mUE to derive the PRB number, the PRBnumbers for PUCCH format 1a/1b are derived according to the following:

The physical resource blocks to be used for transmission of PUCCH inslot n_(s) are given by

$n_{PRB} = \left\{ {\begin{matrix}\left\lfloor \frac{m_{UE}}{2} \right\rfloor & {{{{if}\left( {m_{UE} + {n_{s}{mod}\; 2}} \right)}{mod}\; 2} = 0} \\{N_{RB}^{UL} - 1 - \left\lfloor \frac{m_{UE}}{2} \right\rfloor} & {{{{if}\left( {m_{UE} + {n_{s}{mod}\; 2}} \right)}{mod}\; 2} = 1}\end{matrix}.} \right.$

When the UE is indicated to use mUE for deriving the PRB number, the UEderives the PRB number using the indicated mUE value, while the UEderives the other resource indices, e.g., the OCC number and the CSnumber according to n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾, relying on the method described inthe 3GPP LTE Rel-10 specifications REF1.

In one method, the PUCCH virtual cell ID replaces physical cell ID whenderiving PUCCH base sequence and CS hopping parameters, only if N_(ARI)is non-zero. if N_(ARI) is zero, the physical cell ID is used for thegeneration of PUCCH base sequence and CS hopping.

In another method, the PUCCH virtual cell ID is always used forgenerating PUCCH base sequence and CS hopping (i.e., the virtual cell IDreplaces the physical cell ID in the equations) regardless of theindicated value of N_(ARI).

In one method, eNB may UE-specifically RRC configure PRB numbers forwhich a PUCCH virtual cell ID to be used. When a UE is configured thosePRB numbers, the UE transmits PUCCH using the virtual cell ID only whenthe UE transmits PUCCH in such a PRB.

In another method, when the UE is configured with the PUCCH virtual cellID, each state generated by the ARI bits may indicate n′_(offset), wheren′_(offset) is utilized for deriving n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾.

When PDCCH carries the DL assignment, the UE uses the following equationto derive n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾, where the smallest CCE number used for carryingthe DL assignment is n_(CCE):

Alt 1: n _(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ =n _(CCE) +N.

Alt 2: n _(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ =N(n _(CCE) +n′ _(offset))mod N _(CCE),

where N_(CCE) is can be RRC configured, and can be equal to the totalnumber of CCEs in the current subframe.

When ePDCCH carries the DL assignment, the UE uses the followingequation to derive n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾:

n _(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ =N′+(n _(eCCE) +n′ _(offset))mod N _(eCCE),

where N_(eCCE) is can be RRC configured, and can be equal to the totalnumber of eCCEs in the current subframe.

Here, n′_(offset) can be indicated by ARI, just like n_(offset).Examples for the indication of n_(offset) and n′_(offset) are shown inthe below tables, for 1- and 2-bit ARI. In the tables, candidate valuesfor n_(offset) (used when a PUCCH virtual cell ID is not configured inembodiments 1 and 2 are predetermined in the standards specification,and candidate values for n′_(offset) (used when a PUCCH virtual cell IDis configured) are UE-specifically RRC configured.

An indicated value of An indicated value of N_(ARI) (=2)-bit ARIn_(offset) n_(offset)′ 00 0 Alt 1: A first RRC configured value Alt 2:Fixed to be zero. 01 +1 A second RRC configured value 10 −1 A third RRCconfigured value 11 +2 A fourth RRC configured value

An indicated value of An indicated value of N_(ARI) (=1)-bit ARIn_(offset) n_(offset)′ 0 0 Alt 1: A first RRC configured value Alt 2:Fixed to be zero. 1 +1 A second RRC configured value

Due to a circular buffer rate matching for a DL scheduling assignment(SA) transmission, coded bits may repeat and a UE may detect a DL SAwith a CCE aggregation level (AL) that is different than the actual oneused by a NodeB. Then, if the CCE with the lowest index for the AL a UEdetects a DL SA is different than the one used by the NodeB to transmitthe DL SA, the UE will incorrectly determine a PUCCH resource for arespective HARQ-ACK signal transmission. This can lead to an HARQ-ACKsignal from a UE to be missed by the NodeB or to collide with anHARQ-ACK signal from another UE. This is referred to be PUCCH resourcemapping ambiguity issue.

In the legacy LTE system, for CCE ALs Lε{1, 2, 4, 8}, the CCEscorresponding to PDCCH candidate m are given by:

CCEs for PDCCH candidate m=L·{(Y _(k) +m′)mod └N _(CCE,k) /L┘}+i

where N_(CCE,k) is the total number of CCEs in subframe k, i=0, . . . ,L−1, m′=m+M^((L))·n_(CI), n_(CI) is a parameter identifying an intendedcell for the PDCCH with n_(CI)=0 in case of same-cell scheduling, m=0, .. . , M^((L))−1, and M^((L)) is the number of PDCCH candidates tomonitor in the search space. Exemplary values of M^((L)) for Lε{1, 2, 4,8} are, respectively, {6, 6, 2, 2}. For the UE-CSS, Y_(k)=0. For theUE-DSS, Y_(k)→(A·Y_(k-1))mod D where Y⁻¹=RNTI≠0, A=39827 and D=65537.

Referring to FIG. 13, over a total of eight ECCEs 410, there is amaximum of eight PDCCH candidates indexed from 1 to 8 for AL of oneECCE, four PDCCH candidates indexed from 9 to 12 for AL of two ECCEs,two PDCCH candidates indexed from 13-14 for AL of four ECCEs, and onePDCCH candidate indexed as 15 for AL of eight ECCEs. A UE derives a samePUCCH resource for an HARQ-ACK signal transmission if it detects any ofPDCCH candidates 1, 9, 13, or 15 since the CCE with lowest index is thesame for all these candidates (CCE1). However, PDCCH candidate 2, a UEdetermines a different PUCCH resource since the CCE with the lowestindex is different (CCE2). Therefore, for example, if a PDCCH isactually transmitted using PDCCH candidate 9 (CCE1 and CCE2) and a UEdetects a PDCCH for PDCCH candidate 2 (CCE2), there will be amisunderstanding between the NodeB and the UE in the PUCCH resource usedto transmit the respective HARQ-ACK signal as the NodeB expects oneassociated with CCE1 and the UE uses one associated with CCE2. Sucherror events can typically occur for all combinations among CCE ALs withcandidate PDCCHs and the actual CCE AL used to transmit a PDCCH.

Ambiguity of a CCE AL due to the circular rate matching buffer for atail-biting convolutional code with rate 1/3 occurs when

N=(2/3)qN _(RE) ^(CCE) /k  (3)

where N is an ambiguous payload size for a DCI format (including the CRCbits), q is the number of CCEs, k is the starting point of repetitionsof the coded block, and N_(RE) ^(CCE) is the number of REs per CCE. ForPDCCH operation, there is a fixed number of N_(RE) ^(CCE)=36 REs per CCEavailable for transmitting PDCCH and a number of ambiguous payload sizescan be determined by setting N_(RE) ^(CCE) to 36 in Equation (3). Forexample, for N_(RE) ^(CCE)=36, ambiguous payload sizes are {28, 30, 32,36, 40, 42, 48, 60, 72}.

Several mechanisms are available to resolve the CCE AL ambiguity problemincluding implementation based, scrambling based, and signaling basedones. For a UE-based implementation mechanism, the actual CCE AL may bedecided considering likelihood metrics for detected PDCCH candidates andselecting one with the largest metric. However, this cannot fully solvethe CCE AL ambiguity and complicates implementation and testing for aUE. For a NodeB-based implementation mechanism, multiple PUCCH resourcesmay be monitored for HARQ-ACK signal transmission. However, this cannotavoid HARQ-ACK signal collisions, complicates eNodeB implementation, anddegrades HARQ-ACK detection reliability as the eNodeB needs to considermultiple hypotheses corresponding to multiple PUCCH resources.

For scrambling based mechanisms, the CRC of a DCI format mayadditionally be scrambled, as in FIG. 10, with a mask depending on theCCE AL. However, this effectively reduces a CRC length by 2 bits(assuming CRC masking for 4 CCE ALs) which is undesirable.Alternatively, a PDCCH may be scrambled with a different sequencedepending on the CCE AL. This is effectively the same as scrambling aCRC and, for the same reason, it is also undesirable.

For signaling based mechanisms, one alternative is for DCI formats of DLSAs to include 2 bits to indicate the CCE AL. However, this increasesthe DCI format payload which is also unnecessary for most DCI formatpayloads. Another alternative is to add a dummy bit, for example with avalue of 0, to the DCI format information bits whenever it satisfiesEquation (3). This alternative is the least disadvantageous and resolvesthe CCE AL ambiguity issue for PDCCH.

The following exemplary embodiments on PUCCH resource indexing resolvethe ambiguity issue without introducing any serious issues.

In one exemplary embodiment (embodiment A), a PUCCH resource index(PUCCH format 1a/1b) associated with an ePDCCH PRB set is at leastpartly determined by X_(k,m) and N′. Here, N′=N_(PUCCH-UE-ePDCCH) ⁽¹⁾,which is UE-specifically RRC configured for the ePDCCH PRB set, andX_(k,m) is the eCCE number indicated by the random variable X_(k,m) asshown in FIG. 9.

In one method, X_(k,m) replaces n_(CCE) and N′ replaces N_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ ineach of the legacy LTE PUCCH HARQ-ACK resource allocation equations. Forexample, when a UE is configured with a single serving cell and ePDCCHin an FDD (frame structure type 1) system, the UE will derive the PUCCHindex according to the following

n _(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ =X _(k,m) +N′,

The PUCCH resource allocation equations in other cases (e.g., carrieraggregation, TDD, etc.) can also be described according to thisembodiment.

Suppose that two UEs receive DL assignments in the same set of eCCEs inthe same aggregation level (L=2), for instance, eCCEs 8 k+4 and 8 k+5.Then, according to the method in this embodiment, they are assigned twodifferent PUCCH resources, as long as the two UEs have differentX_(k,m)'s, i.e., one UE has X_(k,m)=8 k+4 and the other UE has X_(k,m)=8k+5.

To see the benefit of the method, consider two UEs, UE A and UE B, beingassigned with ePDCCH candidates according to the following.

UE A has:

Candidate A0 on eCCE0 with AP 107 (AL=1)

Candidate A1 on eCCE1 with AP 108 (AL=1)

Candidate A2 on eCCEs0&1 with AP 107 (AL=2)—with X_(k,m) pointing theeCCE associated with AP 107 (i.e., eCCE0)

UE B with X pointing the eCCE associated with AP 108 has:

Candidate B0 on eCCE0 with AP 107 (AL=1)

Candidate B1 on eCCE1 with AP 108 (AL=1)

Candidate B2 on eCCEs0&1 with AP 108 (AL=2) with X_(k,m) pointing theeCCE associated with AP 108 (i.e., eCCE1)

The cases with the above example are analyzed below with regards to thePUCCH resource mapping ambiguity issue, with applying the method in thecurrent embodiment.

Case 1: Candidate A0 happens to be decoded even though Candidate A2 wasactually transmitted.

There is no ambiguity issue because the same PUCCH resource will be usedeven with this error as X_(k,m) points eCCE0.

Case 2: Candidate A1 happens to be decoded even though Candidate A2 wasactually transmitted.

The probability of this event will be low because AP 108 must beprecoded for another UE who has a different channel state (ordirection).

Case 3: Candidate B0 happens to be decoded even though Candidate B2 wasactually transmitted.

The probability of this event will be low because AP 107 must beprecoded for another UE that has a different channel state (ordirection).

Case 4: Candidate B1 happens to be decoded even though Candidate B2 wasactually transmitted.

There is no ambiguity issue because the same PUCCH resource will be usedeven with this error as X_(k,m) points eCCE1.

However, if the PUCCH resource is derived from AP of the ePDCCHcandidate according to the following equation, which could be onepotential competing proposal,

n _(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ =n _(leading-eCCE)+(p−107)+N′,

then there is an ambiguity issue in Case 4 because:

Candidate B1 gives n _(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾=1+(108−107)+N′=2+N′;

Candidate B2 gives n _(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾=0+(108−107)+N′=1+N′

The two candidates result in two different PUCCH HARQ-ACK resources.

In another exemplary embodiment (embodiment B), a PUCCH resource index(PUCCH format 1a/1b) associated with an ePDCCH PRB set is at leastpartly determined by an additional offset n_(offset) as well as X_(k,m)and N′. Here,

N′=N_(PUCCH-UE-ePDCCH) ⁽¹⁾, which is UE-specifically RRC configured forthe ePDCCH PRB set;

X_(k,m) is the eCCE number indicated by the random variable X_(k,m) asshown in FIG. 9;

n_(offset) is an integer dynamically indicated by DL SA.

In one method, DL SA carries a 2-bit field to indicate a value ofn_(offset). The four states of the 2-bit field are mapped to {x1, x2,x3, x4} respectively, where x1, x2, x3, x4 are integers. In one example,{x1, x2, x3, x4}={−2, 0, 2, 4}.

In one method, X_(k,m) replaces n_(CCE) and N′ replaces n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ ineach of the legacy LTE PUCCH HARQ-ACK resource allocation equations. Inaddition, an integer offset n_(offset) is added to the resourceequation. For example, when a UE is configured with a single servingcell and ePDCCH in an FDD (frame structure type 1) system, the UE willderive the PUCCH index according to the following

n _(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ =X _(k,m) +N′+n _(offset)

The PUCCH resource allocation equations in other cases (e.g., carrieraggregation, TDD, etc.) can also be described according to thisembodiment.

ARI is useful to resolve the resource collision issue arising when thesystem has configured more than one ePDCCH set and the PUCCH resourceregions (configured by ePDCCH set specific) of the more than one ePDCCHsets overlap.

In another exemplary embodiment (embodiment C), the random variableX_(k,m) used for determining the PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ inembodiments 1 and 2 can be alternatively written as:

X _(k,m) =n _(eCCE)+Δ,

where n_(eCCE) is the smallest (leading) eCCE number of the aggregatedeCCEs carrying the DL SA, and Δε{0, . . . , L−1} is a resource offset,where L is the eCCE aggregation level.

In other words, Δε{0, . . . , L−1} is the difference of the two eCCEnumbers: one for the leading eCCE (n_(CCE)) and the other (X_(k,m)) forthe eCCE associated with the assigned AP index. According to the exampleshown in FIG. 9, Δ=0 when L=1; Δ=1 when L=2 or 4; Δ=5 when L=8.

In one method, Δ=X_(k,m)−n_(eCCE)=X_(k,m)−L·└X_(k,m)/L┘, where Δ can bederived after X_(k,m) is derived.

In one method, Δ=(C-RNTI)mod N, where N=min{L,N_(eCCEsPerPRB)}. In thismethod, Δ is UE-specifically determined based upon the UE-ID (i.e.,C-RNTI), and the modulo N ensures that Δ does not exceed L asN_(eCCEsPerPRB)=2 or 4. This method can be equivalently written asΔ=(C-RNTI)mod L mod N_(eCCEsPerPRB) or Δ=(C-RNTI)mod N_(eCCEsPerPRB) modL.

In one method, Δ=Y_(k) mod N (or equivalently Δ=Y_(k) mod L modN_(eCCEsPerPRB) or Δ=Y_(k) mod N_(eCCEsPerPRB) mod L). This is anotherway to randomize Δ based upon the UE-ID (or C-RNTI).

According to the method in embodiment A and this alternativerepresentation of X_(k,m), in an example case when a UE is configuredwith a single serving cell and ePDCCH in an FDD (frame structure type 1)system, the UE will derive the PUCCH index according to the following

n _(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ n _(eCCE) +Δ+N′.

According to the method in embodiment B and this alternativerepresentation of X_(k,m), in an example case when a UE is configuredwith a single serving cell and ePDCCH in an FDD (frame structure type 1)system, the UE will derive the PUCCH index according to the following:

n _(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ =n _(eCCE) +Δ+N′+n _(offset).

In another embodiment (embodiment D), a minimum aggregation level Lminin each DL subframe where ePDCCHs are transmitted, can be determinedbased upon the available number of resource elements for ePDCCH mapping.

For the efficient utilization of PUCCH resources, the PUCCH resourceallocation equation changes dependent upon the minimum aggregation levelLmin. In one example,

In case Lmin=1, the PUCCH resource allocation equations in embodiments1, 2 and 3 is reused.

In case Lmin=2, the PUCCH resource allocation equations in embodiments1, 2 and 3 is reused, with replacing X_(k,m) with one of the followingalternative numbers.

${{Alt}\mspace{14mu} 1\text{:}\mspace{20mu} \left\lfloor {X_{k,m}/2} \right\rfloor} = {{{\left\lfloor \frac{n_{eCCE} + \Delta}{2} \right\rfloor.{Alt}}\mspace{14mu} 2\text{:}\mspace{20mu} \left\lfloor \frac{n_{eCCE}}{2} \right\rfloor}\; + {\left\lfloor \frac{\Delta}{2} \right\rfloor.}}$

Although the present disclosure has been described with an exemplaryembodiment, various changes and modifications may be suggested to oneskilled in the art. It is intended that the present disclosure encompasssuch changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. For use in a wireless communications network, a method of a subscriber station communicating with at least one base station, the method comprising: receiving a DL assignment from the at least one base station; determining a PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) (PUCCH format 1a/1b), wherein: when PDCCH comprising a number of CCEs carries the DL assignment, the subscriber station derives the PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) according to the equation: n _(PUCCH) =n _(CCE) +N; wherein n_(CCE) is the smallest CCE index of the number of CCEs, N=N_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ is cell-specifically higher-layer configured; when ePDCCH comprising a number of eCCEs carries the DL assignment: when the ePDCCH is localized, the subscriber station derives the PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) according to the equation: n _(PUCCH) =n _(eCCE) +N′+Y+Δ; and when the ePDCCH is distributed, the subscriber station derives the PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) according to the equation: n _(PUCCH) =n _(eCCE) +N′+Y; wherein n_(eCCE) is the smallest eCCE index of the number of eCCEs, N′=N_(PUCCH-UE-ePDCCH) ⁽¹⁾ is subscriber station-specifically higher-layer configured, Δ is a function of RNTI, and Y is determined by a 2-bit field in the DL assignment; and transmitting HARQ-ACK information for a PDSCH scheduled by the DL assignment to the at least one base station on PUCCH resource n_(PUCCH)
 2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the 2-bit field indicates one value out of 0, −1, 2 and another integer for Y.
 3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein Δ=(RNTI mod 4).
 4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein Δ=(RNTI mod 2).
 5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein Δ=(C-RNTI)mod min{L,N_(eCCEsPerPRB)}, wherein L is the number of eCCEs for the ePDCCH and N_(eCCEsPerPRB) is a total number of eCCEs per PRB.
 6. For use in a wireless communications network, a method of a base station communicating with at least one subscriber station, the method comprising: transmitting a DL assignment to one of the at least one subscriber station; determining a PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) (PUCCH format 1a/1b), wherein: when PDCCH comprising a number of CCEs carries the DL assignment, the one of the at least one subscriber station derives the PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) according to the equation: n _(PUCCH) =n _(CCE) +N; wherein n_(CCE) is the smallest CCE index of the number of CCEs, N=N_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ is cell-specifically higher-layer configured; when ePDCCH comprising a number of eCCEs carries the DL assignment: when the ePDCCH is localized, the one of the at least one subscriber station derives the PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) according to the equation: n _(PUCCH) =n _(eCCE) +N′+Y+Δ; and when the ePDCCH is distributed, the one of the at least one subscriber station derives the PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) according to the equation: n _(PUCCH) =n _(eCCE) +N′+Y; wherein n_(eCCE) is the smallest eCCE index of the number of eCCEs, N′=N_(PUCCH-UE-ePDCCH) ⁽¹⁾ is subscriber station-specifically higher-layer configured, Δ is a function of RNTI, and Y is determined by a 2-bit field in the DL assignment; and receiving HARQ-ACK information for a PDSCH scheduled by the DL assignment from the one of the at least subscriber station on PUCCH resource n_(PUCCH).
 7. The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the 2-bit field indicates one value out of 0, −1, 2 and another integer for Y.
 8. The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein Δ=(RNTI mod 4).
 9. The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein Δ=(RNTI mod 2).
 10. The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein Δ=(C-RNTI)mod min{L,N_(eCCEsPerPRB)}, wherein L is the number of eCCEs for the ePDCCH and N_(eCCEsPerPRB) is a total number of eCCEs per PRB.
 11. For use in a wireless communications network, a subscriber station configured to communicate with at least one base station, configured to: receive a DL assignment from the at least one base station; determine at least part of a PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ (PUCCH format 1a/1b) associated with an ePDCCH PRB set, wherein: when PDCCH comprising a number of CCEs carries a DL assignment, the subscriber station is configured to derive the PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) according to the equation: n _(PUCCH) =n _(CCE) +N; wherein n_(CCE) is the smallest CCE index of the number of CCEs, N=N_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ is cell-specifically higher-layer configured; when ePDCCH comprising a number of eCCEs carries the DL assignment: when the ePDCCH is localized, the subscriber station is configured to derive the PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) according to the equation: n _(PUCCH) =n _(eCCE) +N′+Y+Δ; and when the ePDCCH is distributed, the subscriber station is configured to derive the PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) according to the equation: n _(PUCCH) =n _(eCCE) +N′+Y; wherein n_(eCCE) is the smallest eCCE index of the number of eCCEs, N′=N_(PUCCH-UE-ePDCCH) ⁽¹⁾ is subscriber station-specifically higher-layer configured, Δ is a function of RNTI, and Y is determined by a 2-bit field in the DL assignment; and transmit HARQ-ACK information for a PDSCH scheduled by the DL assignment to the at least one base station on PUCCH resource n_(PUCCH).
 12. The subscriber station as set forth in claim 11 wherein the 2-bit field indicates one value out of 0, −1, 2 and another integer for Y.
 13. The subscriber station as set forth in claim 11 wherein Δ=(RNTI mod 4).
 14. The subscriber station as set forth in claim 11 wherein Δ=(RNTI mod 2).
 15. The subscriber station as set forth in claim 11 wherein Δ=(C-RNTI) mod min{L,N_(eCCEsPerPRB)}, wherein L is the number of eCCEs for the ePDCCH and N_(eCCEsPerPRB) is a total number of eCCEs per PRB.
 16. For use in a wireless communications network, a base station configured to communicate with at least one subscriber station and configured to: transmit a DL assignment to one of the at least one subscriber station; determine at least part of a PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ (PUCCH format 1a/1b) associated with an ePDCCH PRB set, wherein: when PDCCH comprising a number of CCEs carries a DL assignment, the one of the at least one subscriber station derives the PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) according to the equation: n _(PUCCH) =n _(CCE) +N; wherein n_(CCE) is the smallest CCE index of the number of CCEs, N=N_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ is cell-specifically higher-layer configured; when ePDCCH comprising a number of eCCEs carries the DL assignment; when the ePDCCH is localized, the one of the at least one subscriber station is configured to derive the PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) according to the equation: n _(PUCCH) =n _(eCCE) +N′Y+Δ; and when the ePDCCH is distributed, the one of the at least one subscriber station is configured to derive the PUCCH resource index n_(PUCCH) according to the equation: n _(PUCCH) =n _(eCCE) +N′+Y; wherein n_(eCCE) is the smallest eCCE index of the number of eCCEs, N′=N_(PUCCH-UE-ePDCCH) ⁽¹⁾ is subscriber station-specifically higher-layer configured, Δ is a function of RNTI, and Y is determined by a 2-bit field in the DL assignment; and receive HARQ-ACK information for a PDSCH scheduled by the DL assignment from the one of the at least subscriber station on PUCCH resource n_(PUCCH);
 17. The base station as set forth in claim 16 wherein the 2-bit field indicates one value out of 0, −1, 2 and another integer for Y.
 18. The base station as set forth in claim 16 wherein Δ=(RNTI mod 4).
 19. The base station as set forth in claim 16 wherein Δ=(RNTI mod 2).
 20. The base station as set forth in claim 16 wherein Δ=(C-RNTI) mod min{L,N_(eCCEsPerPRB)}, wherein L is the number of eCCEs for the ePDCCH and N_(eCCEsPerPRB) is a total number of eCCEs per PRB. 